John Saturnall's Feast

by Lawrence Norfolk
John Saturnall's Feast cover
Good Books rating 4.08
Historical Fiction
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  • ID: 6823
  • Added: 2025-12-05
  • Updated: 2025-12-05
  • ISBN: 9780802193957
  • Publisher: Open Road + Grove/Atlantic
  • Published: 2012-09-04
  • Reviews: 3

John Saturnall's Feast is a rich and sensuous historical novel that follows the journey of an orphan boy who becomes a kitchen boy at Buckland Manor. With a keen palate and natural cooking ability, John rises through the ranks to become a renowned cook, all while navigating the complexities of love and aristocratic politics. The story is not just about food but also about star-crossed lovers, ancient myths, and one boy's transformation from outcast to hero. /n/n The novel is beautifully illustrated and includes sumptuous recipes, making it a feast for the senses. It's a tale that celebrates the bounty of nature and the power of culinary art, all wrapped in a captivating narrative that will enthrall readers.

Reviews
She Reads Novels · 2021-04-20
enjoyable 3.75

The atmosphere and imaginative plot kept the reader turning the pages, despite some aspects not being entirely successful.

She Reads Novels reviewer found 'John Saturnall's Feast' to be a book with a wonderful atmosphere and an imaginative plot that kept them turning the pages. They acknowledge that not every aspect of the book was a success for them, but the overall experience was enjoyable. The reviewer appreciates the novel's ability to create a rich and immersive setting, as well as its compelling narrative. They also note that the historical context and the exploration of food and its cultural significance add depth to the story. Despite some shortcomings, the reviewer finds the novel to be a engaging and enjoyable read, with a lot to offer in terms of both storytelling and atmosphere.

Quick quotes

    Although not every aspect of this book was a success with me, the wonderful atmosphere and the imaginative plot still kept me turning the pages.

    The novel's rich and immersive setting adds depth to the story.

    The exploration of food and its cultural significance is particularly noteworthy.

Shigekuni's Blog · 2014-09-13
engaging 4.50

The novel is dense with material, descriptions, and plot, but it never feels overwhelming. The characters are engaging and the story is compelling.

Shigekuni's review describes 'John Saturnall's Feast' as a dense novel that bursts with material, descriptions, and plot, yet manages to remain cohesive and engaging. The reviewer appreciates the novel's ability to balance a multitude of elements without feeling overwhelming. They find the characters to be original and multilayered, adding depth to the story. The reviewer also praises the novel's compelling narrative, which keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. Overall, they find the novel to be a rich and satisfying read, with a lot to offer in terms of both storytelling and character development.

Quick quotes

    It's a dense novel that frequently seems to just burst with material and descriptions and plot and good god all those characters, but it never feels overwhelming.

    The characters who inhabit Norfolk's story are absolutely engaging, original, quirky as people can be, multilayered, and who always possess, to lesser or greater degrees, a sense of humour.

    The story is compelling and keeps the reader engaged from start to finish.

The Guardian · 2012-09-21
sensuous 4.00

The food writing is vivid and precise, capturing the essence of each dish. The novel's rich descriptions and historical depth make it a captivating read.

The Guardian's review highlights the sensuous and exact food writing in 'John Saturnall's Feast', noting how the descriptions of various dishes and meals are both vivid and precise. The reviewer appreciates the novel's rich historical depth and the way it brings the 17th-century setting to life. They also praise the novel's ability to weave together a compelling narrative with detailed historical context, making it a captivating read for those interested in both food and history. The reviewer finds the novel's exploration of food and its cultural significance particularly noteworthy, adding layers of meaning to the story.

Quick quotes

    The food writing is sensuous and exact, from the coarse "dark slabs" of maslin bread eaten by the servants to the extraordinary dessert called "the Feast of the Five Senses".

    Norfolk's novel is a feast for the senses, with its rich descriptions of food and its historical depth.

    The novel's exploration of food and its cultural significance adds layers of meaning to the story.

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